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Ag Startup Engine
also invests · investor profileIowa, US · Founded 2015 · 6 employees on LinkedIn · 2 known investors
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Ag Startup Engine is an investment and support organization that connects early-stage agricultural startups with investors and industry partners. The organization provides funding, mentorship, and networking services to entrepreneurs building solutions in the agriculture industry, particularly in the Midwest.
Also known as ASE
Founders & leadership
Investors · 2
Company profile
researched Aug 2026Ag Startup Engine is a pre-seed stage investment group focused on agricultural innovation in the US Midwest. It positions itself as a conduit between early-stage agricultural startups and investors, providing funding alongside mentorship, sponsor relationships and access to a community of ag entrepreneurs and industry partners.
The organization's stated core values center on funding portfolio companies and connecting them to investors, building networks of mentors, sponsors and entrepreneurs, and backing businesses that address hard, concrete problems in agriculture. Its team is drawn largely from operating ag-tech founders and Iowa State University's agricultural entrepreneurship programs.
Business model
Ag Startup Engine makes pre-seed investments in agricultural startups and works with sponsors and investors who participate in its portfolio; it operates through successive funds, with a third fund being built and led by its venture partner.
Traction
Smart Ag, founded by co-director Colin Hurd, was Ag Startup Engine's first investment and its first portfolio company to exit, through an acquisition by Raven Industries in 2019.
Latest developments
Mikayla Mooney joined as Venture Partner to build and lead the organization's third fund, after serving as CEO of KinoSol and as the first hire at ISA Ventures, a $22M seed-stage fund in Iowa.
▸Full profile — market position, go-to-market, geography
Market position
A Midwest-focused pre-seed ag investment group operating at the intersection of agricultural startups, industry partners and investors.
Go-to-market
The organization solicits inbound contact from companies seeking investment and from prospective sponsors through its website, and builds a community of mentors, sponsors and entrepreneurs around its portfolio.
Early-stage agricultural and ag-tech entrepreneurs seeking pre-seed capital, plus investors and industry sponsors seeking exposure to Midwest agricultural startups.
Geography
Focused on Midwest agricultural innovation, with team ties to Iowa State University in Iowa.
Compiled by commissioned research from 1 cited public sources — announcements, filings, and press listed under research sources below.
Key figures
latest reportedCompany-reported or press-reported figures, each dated to when it was claimed — not independently audited.
Founder mafia
2 people who came through Ag Startup Engine went on to found or lead other companies.
Timeline · 2
launches, deals, and filingsMikayla Mooney joined Ag Startup Engine as a Venture Partner, building and leading the organization's third fund, after leading KinoSol as CEO and working at ISA Ventures.
Smart Ag, the first investment made by Ag Startup Engine and its first portfolio exit, was acquired by Raven Industries.
Dated company events from announcements, filings, and press; legal rows summarize public dockets and regulator releases.
In the news
▸Research sources · 1
primary sources listed
- Ag Startup Engineagstartupengine.com · web
1 public sources were cited for this profile; the first-party ones are listed here.
Frequently asked questions
- What does Ag Startup Engine do?
- Pre-seed investment group linking early-stage Midwest agricultural startups with investors and mentors.
- Who are Ag Startup Engine's investors?
- Ag Startup Engine's investors include Echo River Capital, Next Level Ventures.
- Where is Ag Startup Engine headquartered?
- Ag Startup Engine is headquartered in Iowa, US.